


long day, getting longer

by tournamentofhearts



Category: Homicide: Life on the Street
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-10
Updated: 2013-03-10
Packaged: 2017-12-04 20:05:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/714559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tournamentofhearts/pseuds/tournamentofhearts
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Meldrick is in bed with a dilemma. Set after the movie, with no explicit spoilers; one reference to season 3's "The Old and the Dead." Originally posted 1/21/13.</p>
            </blockquote>





	long day, getting longer

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thecarlysutra](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thecarlysutra/gifts).



> In the same universe as [Take the word of my pulse, loving and ordinary](http://archiveofourown.org/works/254934), [the joy of](http://archiveofourown.org/works/408870), [The best part of waking up](http://archiveofourown.org/works/343040), etc., though they're not prerequisites for reading this.

Meldrick is in bed with a dilemma. His knee aches, as it sometimes does after a long day. He could prop up his knee with a pillow, but there are no extra pillows on the bed. If he moves his pillow, he’s not sure he’ll be able to fall asleep without one underneath his head. Meldrick is definitely getting older, although he’d never admit to feeling it, especially since he’s got to keep up with Rene’s coiled-spring, loose-limbed energy every workday. He could grab a cushion from the couch, but he doesn’t want to get up.

He yawns in pained perplexity. “All right, hold your horses,” Mike calls through the open bathroom door. Meldrick hears him gargling, water running, then silence. Mike pads out over to the bed. He looks at Meldrick, looks at the blankets bunched up around Meldrick’s knees.

“Want me to go get the hot water bottle or something?”

“Nah,” Meldrick says, and pulls back the covers, pats the space next to him. Mike turns off the light and gets in bed. His mouth tastes of the same toothpaste they both use, though Meldrick has to keep reminding Mike to squeeze from the bottom of the tube. He’s warm all along where he’s pressed against Meldrick, from shoulder to thigh. Meldrick slides his leg up to bring Mike in even closer and flinches.

“What?”

“Aw, it's nothin'.” Mike laughs quietly, then leans in like he's going to whisper something. Instead, he nips him. “Aah! Okay, okay, it’s my knee.” Meldrick feels Mike grope down—not taking the scenic route, this time—and lay his hand over it, stroking behind the knee.

“This one, right?”

“Them deductive reasoning skills, Mikey.” Mike taps Meldrick with his thumb, too lightly for a swat, clasps his hand over Meldrick's knee and rubs.

“Old football injury?”

“Yeah, and chasing down half the knucklehead miscreants in Baltimore.”

Mike snorts, but doesn’t stop rubbing. “Any better now?”

Meldrick considers. “Not really.” He walks his fingers down Mike’s arm, though, and covers Mike’s hand with his.

After a few minutes, Mike sits up. Meldrick makes an indignant sound, but Mike picks up his own pillow. He lifts the blankets and carefully settles both of Meldrick’s knees on it. “Better?”

“Hey, man, I can’t put you out like that!”

“Scoot over.” Meldrick scoots; one of them is sure to wake up without a pillow under his head, but for now they’re tucked in as close as can be. Mike pats his cheek. He can feel Mike smiling against his mouth, hand on his face even when Mike pulls back from the kiss for a moment. “Meldrick. Learn to share.”

**Author's Note:**

> While it wasn't planned, this turned out to be a partial homage to myhappyface's [the marrying kind](http://archiveofourown.org/works/412316/chapters/684399) and @imthefuckinglaw's [Quotient](http://imthefuckinglaw.tumblr.com/post/37193971648/ahh-so-your-writing-makes-me-happier-and-i-have-a)—I salute you, my friends. ♥


End file.
